Cops: Bridgeport teen threatened to kill classmates

Updated 7:00 am, Friday, January 18, 2013

BRIDGEPORT -- The Police Department's SWAT team raided the home of a teenager Wednesday night after he allegedly posted threats on Facebook that he was going to shoot up Central High School.

Police spokesman Bill Kaempffer said school authorities notified police that the youth, a student at Central, had posted on Facebook that he was going to kill fellow students and that he was serious.

The 16-year-old, who was not identified because of his age, was taken into custody without incident. Police said no weapons were found in his home, and his address was not disclosed.

The threat came a little over a month after a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, killing 20 first-grade students and six school staff members.

With police and parents on high alert, the Facebook threat sparked a quick response after it was passed on by parents to school resource officers.

The youth was charged with first-degree threatening and was turned over to juvenile authorities.

Kaempffer said detectives from the department's youth bureau obtained a search warrant for the youth's home and the SWAT team went to the home shortly after 10 p.m.

School resource officers also assisted in the investigation.

"We took immediate action as soon as we learned about these online threats," said Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr. "We take our duty to keep our children safe in school very seriously, and I'm grateful for the fast actions of our officers and detectives."

Parents and students expressed shock at the incident. "I thought it was terrible," said Donald Fountain a parent.

One parent, Chimere Hunt, said that officials should have notified them of a threat. "No we didn't get any call in regards to a threat to the school. That's unacceptable. At all times we expect our children to be safe," she told WTNH.

"Student safety is our highest priority, and we take all potential threats very seriously," said Superintendent of Schools Paul Vallas. "I am very grateful that with the consolidation of school security and city police we are now able to respond aggressively and appropriately to keep our students safe in situations such as this and offer my sincere thanks to the city police for their quick and effective response."